Cyprus' problem: The shame of a democratic, ethnically cleansed country in Europe
The last divided capital
The Cyprus problem has existed since before it gained independence from the UK. As part of the Commonwealth and so strategically placed, it's a jewel in a political crown. Now it's the home of the last divided capital.
This importance, unfortunately, wasn't thought about and completely underestimated by the Cypriots. When they fought for their independence from British rule in the 50s, it was a worthy cause. Who wants to be governed by a foreign power, they only care about themselves, not the natives? However, when independence was declared in 1960, a terrorist faction sprung up called EOKA B - the second incarnation of the freedom fighters. This time they weren't fighting for freedom, they were fighting to become part of Greece (enosis). How this absolute lunacy managed to gain the momentum to sell the country, I will never know.
What it proves is that just because a country boasts intelligent, educated people - this doesn't necessarily make them politicians. In 1974, the height of the Cold War, President Makarios decided to befriend the Russians. This is bad news for the West and particularly Turkey. En route from the Suez Canal and the gateway to the Middle East, a Soviet stronghold would've spelled disaster.
So, Henry Kissinger's solution was to stir racial hatred in Cyprus, using EOKA B enosis stance to instil fear in Turkish Cypriots that enosis with Turkey's ancient enemy would mean they would become hunted in their own country. Plus, the CIA planted Grivas to rein terror on the Turkish minority. This worked. Hatred between the two got to fever pitch. There was an attempted assassination of the Cypriot president, putting a military junta in charge. Just in time for a planned invasion of northern Cyprus.
A quarter of a million people were told to evacuate their homes for the night. They're still waiting to return. Nearly two thousand people are missing. Homes, business, banks and shops were left in a land that time forgot.
Since then, Cyprus has had fascist, backward, geriatric president after fascist, backward, geriatric president. While the population dusted themselves off and rebuilt their lives to become prosperous once more (before the crash), the government decided to stick to the 1970s politics that sold half the country to Western aggressors.
The Cyprus problem isn't Turkey and it isn't the occupation. It's the politicians. They insist on labouring the Hellenism point, 'we're Hellenic and proud' they say while waving the Greek flag. Well no actually, we're not Greek. We're Cypriot - a beautiful hybrid of two ancient civilisations. Where else in the world can boost Middle Eastern culture in the heart of European society. Greeks fuck up everything they do because they're lazy and arrogant, why would you want to be them. Cyprus shares a dialect and food palette with Turkey, why would you want to be Greek. Why don't you want to be your own people - self-governed with your own identity?
What Cyprus needs to do is look to Kiev. Strike, take to the streets, protest until the entire government is removed from office and replace it with a modern, forward-thinking president who doesn't fuel racial hatred and polarise Cyprus' two sides. One that embraces the two cultures and religions, giving them representation in government, declare Eid as a national holiday, no longer adorn every event with Greece's flag and commission a new national anthem that encompasses Cyprus uniqueness.
Once all this is in place, Turkey nor the West would be able to use racial hatred as an argument for ethnically cleansing a European country. In a progressive, stable and peace-loving country, that offers a solution that benefits both sides, unity could become a reality.
We need a solution that doesn't leave any one out of pocket. It's been nearly 40 years of occupation. Turks have made Northern Cyprus their home. There are generations that have never known anywhere else. Yes, the homes and land are illegally acquired, you could argue that it’s piracy, but humanity, humility and empathy is needed in times like this.
The homes and land that are empty are given back to their 1974 owners. Those that belonged to people who are now deceased stay with the current owner. And the ones that are occupied would go into arbitration so a compromise that both sides are happy with is reached. Any damages and losses are forgotten, so no one can be taken to the court of human rights any more. Turkish and UN troops will be repatriated. The borders will come down and the two sides will happily co-exist in a system that recognises them both.
Cyprus is the jewel of the Med and every effort should be made to make sure that the war that cost the UK its biggest losses in military life since WWII is resolved. This is Europe and the Commonwealth, we're supposed to be showing the rest of the world how peace is done.
First published 12/06/2015
The Cyprus problem has existed since before it gained independence from the UK. As part of the Commonwealth and so strategically placed, it's a jewel in a political crown. Now it's the home of the last divided capital.
This importance, unfortunately, wasn't thought about and completely underestimated by the Cypriots. When they fought for their independence from British rule in the 50s, it was a worthy cause. Who wants to be governed by a foreign power, they only care about themselves, not the natives? However, when independence was declared in 1960, a terrorist faction sprung up called EOKA B - the second incarnation of the freedom fighters. This time they weren't fighting for freedom, they were fighting to become part of Greece (enosis). How this absolute lunacy managed to gain the momentum to sell the country, I will never know.
What it proves is that just because a country boasts intelligent, educated people - this doesn't necessarily make them politicians. In 1974, the height of the Cold War, President Makarios decided to befriend the Russians. This is bad news for the West and particularly Turkey. En route from the Suez Canal and the gateway to the Middle East, a Soviet stronghold would've spelled disaster.
So, Henry Kissinger's solution was to stir racial hatred in Cyprus, using EOKA B enosis stance to instil fear in Turkish Cypriots that enosis with Turkey's ancient enemy would mean they would become hunted in their own country. Plus, the CIA planted Grivas to rein terror on the Turkish minority. This worked. Hatred between the two got to fever pitch. There was an attempted assassination of the Cypriot president, putting a military junta in charge. Just in time for a planned invasion of northern Cyprus.
A quarter of a million people were told to evacuate their homes for the night. They're still waiting to return. Nearly two thousand people are missing. Homes, business, banks and shops were left in a land that time forgot.
Since then, Cyprus has had fascist, backward, geriatric president after fascist, backward, geriatric president. While the population dusted themselves off and rebuilt their lives to become prosperous once more (before the crash), the government decided to stick to the 1970s politics that sold half the country to Western aggressors.
The Cyprus problem isn't Turkey and it isn't the occupation. It's the politicians. They insist on labouring the Hellenism point, 'we're Hellenic and proud' they say while waving the Greek flag. Well no actually, we're not Greek. We're Cypriot - a beautiful hybrid of two ancient civilisations. Where else in the world can boost Middle Eastern culture in the heart of European society. Greeks fuck up everything they do because they're lazy and arrogant, why would you want to be them. Cyprus shares a dialect and food palette with Turkey, why would you want to be Greek. Why don't you want to be your own people - self-governed with your own identity?
What Cyprus needs to do is look to Kiev. Strike, take to the streets, protest until the entire government is removed from office and replace it with a modern, forward-thinking president who doesn't fuel racial hatred and polarise Cyprus' two sides. One that embraces the two cultures and religions, giving them representation in government, declare Eid as a national holiday, no longer adorn every event with Greece's flag and commission a new national anthem that encompasses Cyprus uniqueness.
Once all this is in place, Turkey nor the West would be able to use racial hatred as an argument for ethnically cleansing a European country. In a progressive, stable and peace-loving country, that offers a solution that benefits both sides, unity could become a reality.
We need a solution that doesn't leave any one out of pocket. It's been nearly 40 years of occupation. Turks have made Northern Cyprus their home. There are generations that have never known anywhere else. Yes, the homes and land are illegally acquired, you could argue that it’s piracy, but humanity, humility and empathy is needed in times like this.
The homes and land that are empty are given back to their 1974 owners. Those that belonged to people who are now deceased stay with the current owner. And the ones that are occupied would go into arbitration so a compromise that both sides are happy with is reached. Any damages and losses are forgotten, so no one can be taken to the court of human rights any more. Turkish and UN troops will be repatriated. The borders will come down and the two sides will happily co-exist in a system that recognises them both.
Cyprus is the jewel of the Med and every effort should be made to make sure that the war that cost the UK its biggest losses in military life since WWII is resolved. This is Europe and the Commonwealth, we're supposed to be showing the rest of the world how peace is done.
First published 12/06/2015
Comments
Post a Comment